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The Annual Historic Downtown Sonora Christmas Parade

Starts promptly at 6:00 pm
Rain or Shine on Friday, November 29, 2024

General Rules

  1. Absolutely NO parade entrants are allowed to hand out or throw candy or any other objects during the parade.
  2. Parking of any vehicles, not within the parade, will not be allowed on School Street or any parking lots along School Street after 2:00 pm. This area is for staging of the parade only. Cars that are not in the parade but are left on School Street or in any of the parking lots on School Street will be towed.
  3. NO dropping off decorations, animals, people, food, etc. on School Street after 3:00 pm.
  4. NO consumption of alcoholic beverages, cannabis, ,or other controlled substances within the staging area or along the parade route is allowed. This is a smoke and vape free event.
  5. Portable restrooms will be available in strategic locations.
  6. No entry may have a person dressed as Santa Claus. The “real” Santa Claus will be at the end of the Parade.
  7. No political advertisements, endorsements or speeches are allowed in the parade.
  8. No alcohol, tobacco or cannabis advertisements are allowed in the parade.
  9. No firearms of any type are allowed in the parade with the exception of law enforcement participants.
  10. You will be notified of your entry number and staging location prior to the event, via email or phone.
  11. To reduce congestion at School & Washington Streets, you will receive a color coded tag upon arrival that will be placed on your windshield to identify your corresponding staging area. Tags must be visible to parade staff/traffic control personnel in order to be granted access to the School Street staging areas.
  12. Volunteer staff will be on hand to assist you at your designated staging area. They will instruct you where to line up.
  13. Entrants must have full control of vehicles or animals at all times. The parade will be moving in a downhill processional; make sure all breaking mechanisms are functional.
  14. Participants are required to have their entry fully decorated in a festive Holiday theme.
  15. The person in charge of each group may complete and sign the application and waiver forms and pay the entry fee on our website (www.sonorachamber.org). In addition, you may pick up an application at the Sonora Chamber office or download from our website. Paper applications should be mailed along with applicable fees to the Sonora Chamber of Commerce at 47 N Washington Street Sonora CA 95370.
  16. The Christmas Parade Committee will review each application. We reserve the right to deny any application. If your application is denied, your entry fee and reason for denial will be mailed back to the contact person on the application.
  17. We recommend that you bring a flashlight since it will be dark by the time the parade starts.
  18. After the parade has ended, please DO NOT drive back through town on Washington Street unless absolutely necessary, as it causes traffic problems. Stewart Street is the advisable route.
  19. The Christmas Parade Committee reserves the right to reject any onsite entry not in keeping with the dignity of The Historic Downtown Sonora Christmas Parade. Any violation of established rules of conduct will result in disciplinary action, which could include immediate removal from the parade route and/or denial of future entry applications.

Additional Parade Rules for Walkers

  1. Please, have all walking participants in your group’s entry meet at a designated area outside of the staging area. Try to coordinate arrival time with your group for less congestion at the staging area. A good meeting location is on Shaws Flat Road in front of Sonora High School.
  2. All walkers are staged in the small High School parking lot located near Snell Street on School Street.
  3. Walkers who arrive late should be dropped off on Shaws Flat Road in front of the high school.
  4. Please inform all members and parents of your staging location. The BAND mobile app is an excellent way to communicate with your parade participants. Your group leader should determine if this is useful to you.
  5. No stopping to perform at any time will be allowed during the parade
  6. At the end of the parade, walkers must be picked up at the Sonora Lumber parking lot on South Washington Street. (This does not include trailers or floats with riders).

Additional Parade Rules for Horse Groups

  1. Only recognized and experienced riding groups of 5 or more participants will be allowed. (No single riders)
  2. All horse trailers must be parked at the Grocery Outlet parking lot for loading after the Parade. If you arrive before 4:00 pm, you may unload your animals in the staging area. After 4:00 pm, you will have to unload at a different location and walk animals into the staging area.
  3. All entrants riding or driving animals must turn into the Grocery Outlet parking lot at the end of the Parade. Volunteers who have experience with horses will be there to assist you.
  4. Please, do not ride horses back through town.

Additional Parade Rules for Automobiles, Motorcycles, Trailers and Floats

  1. Trailers, floats & tow vehicles cannot exceed 65 feet in overall length, 10 feet in width, and 13 feet in height (measured from the ground up).
  2. Any vehicle with a trailer and riders must turn onto Restano Way to unload the riders at the end of the Parade. You will be instructed where to exit and you will have to do this quickly. The Sonora Police Department will be on hand to help. Riders are not allowed to continue riding on trailers or floats once you have passed Restano Way.
  3. Any vehicle without a trailer but has riders will be directed into the Grocery Outlet parking lot to off-load the riders.
  4. Any vehicle without riders may continue down Washington Street or onto Mono Way to leave the parade area.
  5. If you must drive back through town, please use Stewart Street.
  6. Once in the staging area, the entry’s driver must stay with the vehicle.
  7. No exhibition of speed of any kind, including wheelies, spinning of tires or loss of traction in the staging area or along the parade route is permitted.
  8. For the enjoyment of infants and toddlers (as well as their parents), we ask that you keep loud horn blasting to a minimum.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Sonora Chamber of Commerce
at (209) 694-4008 or email us at parade@sonorachamber.org